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Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?


Postby Papagenos » Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:33 pm

It’s amazing how the prospect of a pint beside a roaring log fire manages to lift your spirits when you’re cold, wet, and tramping though the mist. On a recent circuit of the Moidart Hills the sight of The Lochailort Inn in the distance kept me going on the long wearying descent. Unfortunately, sometimes that comforting prospect turns to disappointment when you realise you’ve chosen a turkey for your post-hills refreshment. Perhaps you encounter poor beer, surly service or lacklustre food that spoils your mountain euphoria.

So I thought we should compile our own top list of hostelleries for walkers in the Highlands on this forum. I am looking for your nominations for the best walker’s pub. Where are the places with first-class service, tasty food and a warm and welcoming atmosphere? Then we will have a go at compiling the top ten list for forum members to vote on.

To nominate a pub, leave a post on this forum with the name, grid ref (if possible) so we all know how to find it and why you are nominating it. Do not worry, if someone else has beaten you to it, still give your opinion!

I will post my two nominations later on.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:59 pm

Great idea ~ I'm off to do some "research"!
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Paul Webster » Sat Jun 20, 2009 5:01 pm

Do we all get two then? I know what I think will win, and it is a great pub, but I'm going for:

first would be Applecross Inn, for good beer and great simple seafood, not to mention a stunning setting.

Second would be the Anderson at Fortrose; some of the best real ales in the Highlands, plus one of the few pubs to sell real cider, a massive selection of bottled foreign beer, plus fabulous food and friendly owners. Also thought I'd nominate it as probably no-one else has heard of it :lol:

Neither of these advertise with us yet :(

But many of those the rest of you will nominate will :D
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby kenny stewart » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:49 pm

Iam with Caberfeidh on that one, "In the words of Scott, I may be some time". :)
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Caberfeidh » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:08 am

It was Scott's companion, Captain Oates. He certainly has been gone some time. It must be Happy Hour...
One place I would not go back to is the hotel in Kinlochbervie. It was like the scene in a western when the hero goes into a saloon and everyone stops talking and stares. The Old Drovers' Inn at Inverarnan is good, with good food too.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Myth » Sun Jun 21, 2009 3:13 pm

Ledgowan...
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby IainG » Sun Jun 21, 2009 3:17 pm

Without a doubt, The Crask Inn at the foot (more or less) on Ben Klibreck. Good bottled ales and the owners are great hosts, and have a very entertaining Collie. It's like having a pint in their living room.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Rekrab » Sun Jun 21, 2009 4:43 pm

the train station in Crainlarich is awesome, and so is the mountain Cafe in Aviemore, there's a wee 2 AA rosette Hotel at the Bottom of glen Lyon that's really really cracking oyu can sit and have a drink whilst the hunters polich there guns and pluck thier kills.

MacKenzie,
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby kevsbald » Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:27 pm

I'd have to agree with Paul - Anderson's in Fortrose is superb - and I'm going there next week!

I also like the Monachyle Mhor restaurant/hotel - they have a wee bar, with a great fire and it's superb - especially after a pishy day on Beinn a Chroin!
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby nearly_there » Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:01 pm

I have to say Bridge of Orchy Hotel is the one that sticks out in my memory after doing Beinn Dorain on a cold snowy January Sunday. Being able to see the glimmering lights from it and smoking chimneys as you descend from the bealach is a memorable mouthwatering view as you descend off the mountain. (not been back for a while and I hear it has gone upmarket).
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:07 pm

I was in the Bridge of Orchy Hotel last year, the staff were very welcoming to us tired, scruffy and sweaty hill walkers.Good food, and refreshing cider. Also good bunkhouse, well worth it to avoid the ferocious midgies at the camping spot by the river.
If you're ever in the Galloway Hills, the wee pub in Straiton (the Black Bull, if memory serves) has a painting of Bing Crosby in the bar, as he had a pint there while making an advert for Tennants.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Papagenos » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:58 pm

Paul Webster wrote:Do we all get two then?


I didn’t specify a limit on the number of pubs someone can nominate so feel free to recommend as many as you like. Most of us will have a handful of pubs that we will always go back to when we are in the area. I am sure everyone else on the forum will be interested in what is recommended.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Papagenos » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:59 pm

I have two recommendations, one extremely obvious the second probably unknown to many.

1. The Clachaig Inn (NN 127 567)
This had to be nominated as the iconic climber’s and walker’s pub nestled in the heart of Glencoe. With The Three Sisters, the Aonach Eagach Ridge, Bidean nam Bian just a stones throw away most people when they have been out on the hills close by gravitate here in the evening. Good food (try the Venison Sausages), local beer from the Atlas Brewery and plenty of tall tales from the mountains.

2. The Creagan Inn (NM 973 445)
Just before the A828 cross Loch Creran on the way to Oban this pub used to have a pretty poor reputation. New owners and a major refurbishment have transformed it in to a great place for a drink and good food. The picture windows facing westwards out on to the give fantastic sunset views and if it is warm enough you can sit outside on the terrace decking. This is a good place to visit if you are tackling some of the Munros or Corbetts from Loch Creran such as Beinn Sgulaird and Creach Bheinn.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby Wanderlust » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:03 pm

probably not the best "walker's pub", but the bar of the Sligachan hotel is a welcome refuge after a rainy day on the Cuillin hills...plenty of real-ales on tap, decent grub, and a log fire to warm to.
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Re: Your favourite walkers pub in the Highlands?

Postby goth_angel » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:49 pm

In no particular order:

Bridge of Orchy Hotel - fantastic food and a nice bar, decent wine, good atmosphere, will definitely go back.

The Clachaig Inn - brilliant walker's pub, the only issue is it gets extremely busy, and can be problematic to find a seat - not a major issue if you are just drinking, but a problem if you want to eat particularly as it's the only pub within walking distance of the YH/ camp sites.

The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore - really good food, though more of a food pub than a drinking pub possibly.

The Coach House, Killin - live music, great people running it, fabulous accommodation (a jacuzzi in the master bedroom!) :D
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